Get ready for (electric) takeoff. Joby Aviation hit a milestone when a pilot brought its tilt-rotor electric vertical takeoff and landing — or eVTOL — aircraft from horizontal to vertical flight and back again.
The company calls the first-of-its-kind test flight a "critical milestone" in commercializing Joby's air taxi, the S4.
As New Atlas reports, this isn't the first time an eVTOL has performed such a flight transition with a pilot on board, but competitors used aircraft with separate horizontal and vertical flight systems. The S4, however, used a unified tilt-rotor system for both maneuvers.
The inaugural flight was documented on video, showing the impressive agility of the aircraft.
Joby has since completed six additional transitional flights with three different pilots.
"We've got a winner," Joby chief test pilot James "Buddy" Denham said after the flight.
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Joby Aviation has been working on the S4 since 2009, quickly rising as a leader in the eVTOL space. Powered by six electric motors, the electric aircraft produces no air pollution when operated. Designed as an air taxi, it seats one pilot and four passengers, with top speeds reaching 200 miles per hour.
Though it may resemble a helicopter, the S4 is exceedingly more eco-friendly. Joby's electric air taxi generates far less pollution than any currently approved mode of air travel — particularly gas-powered helicopters.
Aside from cruise ships, short-haul flights rank as the most environmentally damaging form of transportation per passenger, according to data from Statista.
The New York Times reports that the Airbus AS350, a popular type of gas-powered passenger helicopter, produces 950 pounds of polluting carbon per hour. A standard gas-powered car produces 22 pounds of carbon per hour.
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Using cleaner fuel ⛽ One study published in the journal Nature Communications suggests an eVTOL with three passengers produces 52% less harmful carbon pollution than a gas-powered car. With cleaner energy sources, that environmental advantage only increases.
Joby's successful piloted transition flight is a critical step toward FAA certification and the commercial launch of air taxi services, potentially positioning Joby as a leader in the emerging eVTOL market.
"This milestone — the result of thousands of hours of careful, diligent testing — represents a significant step forward for our aircraft certification program, and for our industry," Joby captioned a video of the flight.
Notably, Toyota Motor Corporation invested $500 million in Joby's efforts, showing broader support for the company. Joby plans to start flight testing in Dubai in mid-2025.
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